Return to Work (RTW) Protocols

Graded Reentry Planning

When a victim has been on extended medical leave due to harassment, the return cannot be abrupt.

"Throwing" the employee back to full duties on day one is a recipe for relapse.

Best practices dictate a gradual return, both in schedule and load of responsibilities.

This can start with part-time or hybrid telecommuting, progressively increasing exposure.

This transition period allows the worker to readjust to the routine and the company to evaluate whether the protective measures implemented are effective, without immediately subjecting the individual to maximum stress.

The Welcome Interview and Reasonable Adjustments

The first day of return is critical.

There should be a welcome interview managed by HR or an empathetic leader (never by the former offender or their allies), where the company's commitment to their well-being is reaffirmed.

In this session, "reasonable accommodations" should be agreed upon: temporary modifications in working conditions to facilitate readjustment.

This may include physical changes in location to avoid visual contact with sources of stress, temporary exoneration from certain tasks of high emotional impact or flexibility to attend ongoing therapeutic appointments.

Accompaniment: The Figure of the Reintegration Mentor

To avoid isolation, it is advisable to assign a "reintegration mentor" or "buddy".

This is not a supervisor, but a peer, a trusted companion who acts as a social liaison and operational support.

This figure helps the victim catch up with the changes that occurred during his or her absence, reintroduces him or her to the social dynamics of the group and serves as a friendly "thermometer" to detect if the person is feeling overwhelmed.

The mentor breaks down the ice barrier that often forms when someone